WISE-DT2
Encyclopedia
WISE-DT2 is the primary Fox
and secondary MyNetworkTV
television station
for Northeastern Indiana
. It is a second digital subchannel
of NBC
affiliate WISE-TV
owned by the Granite Broadcasting Corporation
. Over-the-air, the station broadcasts a high definition
digital signal on UHF channel 18.2 (or virtual channel
33.2 via PSIP) from a transmitter at its studios on Butler Road in Northwestern Fort Wayne
. This can also be seen on Frontier FiOS channel 9, Mediacom
channel 62, and Comcast
digital channel 252. There is a high definition feed offered on Frontier FiOS digital channel 504 and Comcast digital channel 1018. Syndicated
programming on WISE-DT2 includes The New Adventures of Old Christine
, George Lopez
, Frasier
, The Nate Berkus Show
, and The Wendy Williams Show
among others. It uses the "EISE" call sign for official identification purposes.
Originally established in 2005, WISE-DT2 was part of NBC Weather Plus
and known on-air as "Indiana's NewsCenter
Weather Plus". The 24-hour weather channel provided local and national weather forecasts segments. On January 24, 2006, The WB and UPN
announced the two networks would end broadcasting and merge into The CW
. On February 22, News Corporation
announced it would start up another new network called MyNetworkTV. This new service, which would be sister to Fox, would be operated by Fox Television Stations and its syndication division Twentieth Television.
MyNetworkTV was created in order to give UPN and WB stations, not mentioned as becoming CW affiliates, another option besides becoming Independent. It was also created to compete against The CW. CBS affiliate WANE-TV
offered UPN on a second digital subchannel
. The Fort Wayne affiliate of The WB was cable-only "WBFW" (provided through The WB 100+
) with promotional and advertising duties performed by WPTA. It was announced in March that "WBFW" would affiliate with The CW via The CW Plus
(a similar operation to The WB 100+). WPTA decided to create a new second digital subchannel to simulcast "WBFW" and offer access to CW programming for over-the-air viewers.
On September 18, The CW debuted on that station which began using the WPTA-DT2 calls officially. On September 5, 2006, WISE-TV moved NBC Weather Plus from this second digital subchannel to WISE-DT3 in order for it to become the area's MyNetworkTV affiliate. In June 2011, it was announced that WISE-DT2 would join Fox beginning August 1, 2011 taking the affiliation from then-current outlet WFFT-TV
(owned by the Nexstar Broadcasting Group
). The switch was the result of a dispute over retransmission consent
fees between Nexstar and Fox. Upon the switch, the station shifted MyNetworkTV to secondary status on WISE-DT2 and began airing the two-hour weeknight programming block from 10:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m.
With the addition of high definition capabilities to this station, WISE-DT3 (which currently features 24-hour national NBC Plus [successor to NBC Weather Plus] and local "The VIPIR
Channel" weather programming) will move at some point in time to WPTA's third digital subchannel (currently home to "Indiana's NewsCenter Now"). It is unknown if the two services will be merged in anyway or one will be dropped. Negotiations are under way to provide an HD feed of WISE-DT2 on area cable
providers. The station was upgraded to a 720p high definition signal on June 27.
On July 25, 2011 Nexstar Broadcasting filed an antitrust lawsuit against Granite Broadcasting, claiming the company is trying to monopolize ad sales through its shared services agreement with WPTA (owned by Malara Broadcasting) and the five network affiliations that are shared between WPTA and WISE (WPTA already carries ABC and CW programming, while in addition to the Fox and MyNetworkTV programming on its second digital subchannel, NBC is carried on WISE-TV's primary channel). Nexstar is seeking a judgment that would force either WPTA-TV or WISE-TV to give up at least one of the three Big Four affiliations it currently has.
Currently, WISE-DT2 airs all Fox network programming, except for the network's Saturday morning infomercial block, Weekend Marketplace
, which, as of WISE-DT2's switch to Fox as its primary affiliation, does not air at all in the Fort Wayne market.
On July 24, 2006, WISE-TV added a thirty minute weeknight newscast at 10 known as Indiana
's NewsCenter Prime News pre-empting normal NBC Weather Plus programming. The broadcast was added to WPTA-DT2 through a simulcast when The CW launched. WISE-TV also airs repeats of the weekday morning show at 7, midday newscast at 1, and weeknight 6 o'clock broadcast at 6:30. Although WISE-TV and WPTA became the only stations in Fort Wayne to offer local newscasts in 16:9
enhanced definition widescreen
on May 18, 2009, all shows on WISE-DT2 were still seen in pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition. This changed on June 27 with the signal upgrade. It remains to be seen if any other live newscasts will be added to the schedule.
Indiana's NewsCenter Pinpoint VIPIR HD Weather (all have the AMS
Seal of Approval)
Sports team
Multimedia journalists
Contributors
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
and secondary MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
for Northeastern Indiana
Northern Indiana
Northern Indiana is the region of Indiana including 26 counties bordering parts of Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio. The area is generally sub-classified into other regions. The northwest is economically and culturally intertwined with Chicago, and is considered part of the Chicago metropolitan area...
. It is a second digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
of NBC
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
affiliate WISE-TV
WISE-TV
WISE-TV is the NBC-affiliated television station for Northeastern Indiana licensed to Fort Wayne. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 18 from a transmitter at its studios on Butler Road in Northwest Fort Wayne. The station can also be seen on Frontier FiOS channel 4 and...
owned by the Granite Broadcasting Corporation
Granite Broadcasting Corporation
Granite Broadcasting Corporation, founded by W. Don Cornwell and Stuart Beck in 1988 , is a broadcasting holding company which owns or operates 14 television stations in the United States, largely centered in the midwest with a cluster in New York state...
. Over-the-air, the station broadcasts a high definition
High-definition television
High-definition television is video that has resolution substantially higher than that of traditional television systems . HDTV has one or two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of SD...
digital signal on UHF channel 18.2 (or virtual channel
Virtual channel
In telecommunications, a logical channel number , also known as virtual channel, is a channel designation which differs from that of the actual radio channel on which the signal travels....
33.2 via PSIP) from a transmitter at its studios on Butler Road in Northwestern Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. This can also be seen on Frontier FiOS channel 9, Mediacom
Mediacom
Mediacom is a cable television and communications provider in the United States. Founded in July 1995, it serves primarily smaller markets in the Midwest and Southern United States. Formerly a publicly traded firm, it went private in a $600.0 million transaction in March 2011 and is, as of 2011,...
channel 62, and Comcast
Comcast
Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...
digital channel 252. There is a high definition feed offered on Frontier FiOS digital channel 504 and Comcast digital channel 1018. Syndicated
Television syndication
In broadcasting, syndication is the sale of the right to broadcast radio shows and television shows by multiple radio stations and television stations, without going through a broadcast network, though the process of syndication may conjure up structures like those of a network itself, by its very...
programming on WISE-DT2 includes The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine
The New Adventures of Old Christine is an American comedy series starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus which ran for five seasons on CBS from March 13, 2006, to May 12, 2010...
, George Lopez
George Lopez (TV series)
"The George Lopez Show" redirects here. For the late-night program hosted by the same comedian, see Lopez Tonight.George Lopez is an American sitcom starring comedian George Lopez...
, Frasier
Frasier
Frasier is an American sitcom that was broadcast on NBC for eleven seasons, from September 16, 1993, to May 13, 2004. The program was created and produced by David Angell, Peter Casey, and David Lee in association with Grammnet and Paramount Network Television.A spin-off of Cheers, Frasier stars...
, The Nate Berkus Show
The Nate Berkus Show
The Nate Berkus Show, commonly referred to as The Nate Show, is a syndicated talk show hosted by interior designer Nate Berkus, which premiered on September 13, 2010....
, and The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show
The Wendy Williams Show is a syndicated talk show hosted by Wendy Williams that premiered on July 14, 2008, as six-week sneak peek, in Detroit, Dallas, Los Angeles, and New York City. The test run was picked up for a full season that began its run on July 13, 2009 in over 70% of the country in...
among others. It uses the "EISE" call sign for official identification purposes.
History
NBC Weather Plus
NBC Weather Plus was a 24-hour, commercially sponsored, weather-oriented broadcast/cable television network jointly owned by NBC Universal and the local affiliates of the NBC network. It debuted on November 15, 2004 and shut down on December 31, 2008...
and known on-air as "Indiana's NewsCenter
Indiana's NewsCenter
Indiana's NewsCenter is the collective brand name of the television and news operations in Fort Wayne, Indiana owned and/or managed by Granite Broadcasting Corporation and Malara Broadcast Group under a local marketing agreement....
Weather Plus". The 24-hour weather channel provided local and national weather forecasts segments. On January 24, 2006, The WB and UPN
UPN
United Paramount Network was a television network that was broadcast in over 200 markets in the United States from 1995 to 2006. UPN was originally owned by Viacom/Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries, the former of which, through the Paramount Television Group, produced most of the network's...
announced the two networks would end broadcasting and merge into The CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
. On February 22, News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
announced it would start up another new network called MyNetworkTV. This new service, which would be sister to Fox, would be operated by Fox Television Stations and its syndication division Twentieth Television.
MyNetworkTV was created in order to give UPN and WB stations, not mentioned as becoming CW affiliates, another option besides becoming Independent. It was also created to compete against The CW. CBS affiliate WANE-TV
WANE-TV
WANE-TV is the CBS-affiliated television station for Northern Indiana licensed to Fort Wayne. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 31 from a transmitter at studios on West State Boulevard in Northwest Fort Wayne/Tower Heights section of the city. The station can also be...
offered UPN on a second digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
. The Fort Wayne affiliate of The WB was cable-only "WBFW" (provided through The WB 100+
The WB 100+ Station Group
The WB 100+ Station Group was a group of primarily non-broadcast local cable television outlets for The WB Television Network, for markets below the top 100 television media markets in the United States. Dayparts with no WB programming were programmed by the network...
) with promotional and advertising duties performed by WPTA. It was announced in March that "WBFW" would affiliate with The CW via The CW Plus
The CW Plus
The CW Plus is a group of primarily digital sub-channels, analog, and non-broadcast cable television outlets for the CW Television Network, for markets below the top 99 television media markets in the United States....
(a similar operation to The WB 100+). WPTA decided to create a new second digital subchannel to simulcast "WBFW" and offer access to CW programming for over-the-air viewers.
On September 18, The CW debuted on that station which began using the WPTA-DT2 calls officially. On September 5, 2006, WISE-TV moved NBC Weather Plus from this second digital subchannel to WISE-DT3 in order for it to become the area's MyNetworkTV affiliate. In June 2011, it was announced that WISE-DT2 would join Fox beginning August 1, 2011 taking the affiliation from then-current outlet WFFT-TV
WFFT-TV
WFFT-TV is an Independent station for Northeastern Indiana licensed to Fort Wayne. From the network's launch on October 9th, 1986 to July 31, 2011, WFFT was the Fox-affiliated television station for Fort Wayne. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 36 from a transmitter at...
(owned by the Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Nexstar Broadcasting Group
Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc., is an entity of broadcast television stations headquartered in Irving, Texas. The company consists of 50 television stations across the U.S., ranging from market sizes 9 to 201 . 43 of the stations are broadcasting at full power, with the other 4 broadcasting at...
). The switch was the result of a dispute over retransmission consent
Retransmission consent
Retransmission consent is an option granted to US television stations as part of the law that granted such stations the option to elect must-carry rights. Under retransmission consent, a full-power US television station may elect to negotiate with a cable system operator for carriage of its...
fees between Nexstar and Fox. Upon the switch, the station shifted MyNetworkTV to secondary status on WISE-DT2 and began airing the two-hour weeknight programming block from 10:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m.
With the addition of high definition capabilities to this station, WISE-DT3 (which currently features 24-hour national NBC Plus [successor to NBC Weather Plus] and local "The VIPIR
VIPIR
Volumetric Imaging and Processing of Integrated Radar, known by the acronym VIPIR, is a type of post-processing program applied to traditional radar systems and is distributed by Baron Weather Solutions...
Channel" weather programming) will move at some point in time to WPTA's third digital subchannel (currently home to "Indiana's NewsCenter Now"). It is unknown if the two services will be merged in anyway or one will be dropped. Negotiations are under way to provide an HD feed of WISE-DT2 on area cable
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
providers. The station was upgraded to a 720p high definition signal on June 27.
On July 25, 2011 Nexstar Broadcasting filed an antitrust lawsuit against Granite Broadcasting, claiming the company is trying to monopolize ad sales through its shared services agreement with WPTA (owned by Malara Broadcasting) and the five network affiliations that are shared between WPTA and WISE (WPTA already carries ABC and CW programming, while in addition to the Fox and MyNetworkTV programming on its second digital subchannel, NBC is carried on WISE-TV's primary channel). Nexstar is seeking a judgment that would force either WPTA-TV or WISE-TV to give up at least one of the three Big Four affiliations it currently has.
Currently, WISE-DT2 airs all Fox network programming, except for the network's Saturday morning infomercial block, Weekend Marketplace
Weekend Marketplace
Weekend Marketplace is a two hour Saturday morning block of paid programming airing on Fox that began airing on January 3, 2009, replacing the 4Kids TV Saturday morning cartoon block that aired using time leased by 4Kids from Fox from 2002 until the last Saturday of 2008...
, which, as of WISE-DT2's switch to Fox as its primary affiliation, does not air at all in the Fort Wayne market.
Newscasts
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
's NewsCenter Prime News pre-empting normal NBC Weather Plus programming. The broadcast was added to WPTA-DT2 through a simulcast when The CW launched. WISE-TV also airs repeats of the weekday morning show at 7, midday newscast at 1, and weeknight 6 o'clock broadcast at 6:30. Although WISE-TV and WPTA became the only stations in Fort Wayne to offer local newscasts in 16:9
16:9
16:9 is an aspect ratio with a width of 16 units and height of 9. Since 2009, it has become the most common aspect ratio for sold televisions and computer monitors and is also the international standard format of HDTV, Full HD, non-HD digital television and analog widescreen television ...
enhanced definition widescreen
Widescreen
Widescreen images are a variety of aspect ratios used in film, television and computer screens. In film, a widescreen film is any film image with a width-to-height aspect ratio greater than the standard 1.37:1 Academy aspect ratio provided by 35mm film....
on May 18, 2009, all shows on WISE-DT2 were still seen in pillarboxed 4:3 standard definition. This changed on June 27 with the signal upgrade. It remains to be seen if any other live newscasts will be added to the schedule.
News team
Anchors- Mary Collins - weekday mornings
- Ryan Elijah - weekday mornings; also "In Your Corner" segment producer
- Corrine Rose - weekdays at 1 p.m.; also reporter and Indiana's NewsCenter Noon Extra host
- Melissa Long - weeknights at 6:30 p.m.
- Linda Jackson - weeknights at 10 p.m.; also "Angels Among Us" segment producer
Indiana's NewsCenter Pinpoint VIPIR HD Weather (all have the AMS
American Meteorological Society
The American Meteorological Society promotes the development and dissemination of information and education on the atmospheric and related oceanic and hydrologic sciences and the advancement of their professional applications. Founded in 1919, the American Meteorological Society has a membership...
Seal of Approval)
- Curtis Smith - chief meteorologist; weeknights
- Chris Daniels - meteorologist; weekday mornings and weekdays at 1 p.m.
- Jason Meyers - meteorologist; fill-in, also weather reporter and "Weather & Your Health" segment producer
- Chris Havely - meteorologist and weather specialist
Sports team
- Dean Pantazi - sports directorSports DirectorA sports director is an individual at a television or radio station who is in charge of the sports department. In local news, the sports director is typically the station's primary sportscaster, and often anchors the primetime newscasts on weekdays. They are in charge of sports programming and...
; weeknights at 6:30 and 10 p.m. - Kent Hormann - sports anchor; fill-in
- Tommy Schoegler - sports reporter and More of The Score co-host
- Kyle Binder - sports anchor; weekend evening fill-in
- Scott Zeigler - More of The Score co-host
Multimedia journalists
- Jennifer Blomquist - "Golden Apple" segment producer
- Jeff Bowman - weekday morning video journalist
- Eric Clabaugh - videojournalist
- John W. Davis - videojournalist
- Dave Leval - automotive industry reporter; based at WMYDWMYDWMYD is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Southeast Michigan licensed to Detroit. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 21 from a transmitter on Eight Mile Road in Oak Park along the Oakland and Wayne County line. The station can also be seen on Comcast...
in Detroit - Rachel Martin - videojournalist
- Jeff Neumeyer - videojournalist
- Eric Olson - "Your Country" segment producer
- Matt Resnik - videojournalist
- Megan Trent - videojournalist
Contributors
- Art Ginsburg - "Mr. FoodMr. FoodArt Ginsburg, commonly known as Mr. Food, is a television chef and best selling author of cookbooks who emphasizes simple recipes. He is the originator of "quick & easy cooking" who, for the past 30+ years, has paved the way for TV food personalities who have followed. With his enthusiastic style,...
" segment producer - Lee Kelso - Docs on Call rotating host
- Richard Marchbanks - INsight host
- Elizabeth Nulf MacDonald - Docs on Call rotating host